One Trick to Get Rid of Negative Thoughts

I was fortunate enough to recently enjoy a few days in Colorado with my wife Robin. Thanks to a good friend of mine who allowed us to stay in his home, we had a few very peaceful days of hiking and enjoying nature.

One of my favorite experiences was spending time by a large stream on the back of the property, listening to the sound of the clear water as it gurgled over the rocks.

I observed that as the water passed by, it would carry leaves that had fallen in. One moment the leaves were there, and the next moment, they would be washed away downstream.

As I was observing this, it occurred to me that our minds are a lot like this stream. Your mind is clear, and constantly flowing with the potential for creativity and new thoughts. This is your “stream of consciousness. “

As you go about your daily life, thoughts occur. Sometimes these thoughts are structured and some times they are random. Sometimes they are positive thoughts and sometimes they are negative thoughts.

Now imagine your random thoughts as those things that fall into the stream of your mind. If they are positive thoughts, you reach down, pull them to yourself, and you spend time with them.

For example, here’s a positive thought: “My workouts are going really well. Today I am going to have my best workout ever!” Like pulling a leaf out of the stream of your consciousness, you pick that thought up and dwell on it for a while. That’s a good thing.

But What do you do at those times when you have a negative thought? A negative thought is like a piece of garbage that falls into the stream of your consciousness. You can choose to pick it up and dwell on it, or you can let it go by.

Whenever a negative thought occurs, imagine yourself taking that thought, and like a rotten leaf wadding it up in your hands and dropping it back into the water, your stream of consciousness, and just mentally watching… it …wash away. See it floating downstream away from you, never to come back.

Try this next time you have a negative thought like, “I’m never going to get any stronger, it’s just a waste of time!” That’s a piece of garbage coming down the stream of your consciousness. Pick it up, crush it, and watch it wash downstream in your mind’s eye.

We all have negative thoughts some times. Just remember that when the negative thoughts do occur, they are not YOU as a person. Your mind is a beautiful, pristine mountain stream, with clear water. That is you. When the ugly thoughts occur, it’s just like garbage floating down the stream, you don’t get fixated on the garbage, you just let it float by. Refuse to dwell on the negative and turn your attention to something beautiful in your life.

We all have a lot of beautiful things to be grateful for if you really think about it.

This week, start putting this stream of consciousness thought process to work for you. You’ll be a lot more clear-minded and happier for it.

Yours in health,

Lee Labrada

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not meant as medical advice, nor is it to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Please consult your physician before starting or changing your diet or exercise program. Any use of this information is at the sole discretion and responsibility of the user.